1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a vehicular steering column assembly having a horizontal position adjustment mechanism for a steering column. More specifically, the present invention relates to a vehicular steering column assembly that allows a positional adjustment of a steering column in a horizontal direction along a longitudinal axis of the vehicle.
2. Description of the Background Art
In one type of a vehicular steering column assembly, a tilt-angle of a steering column, i.e. a steering wheel can be adjusted to ensure a driver's optimum posture for driving the vehicle.
Similarly, in another type of a vehicular steering column assembly, a steering shaft is telescopically received in a steering column to be allowed an axial displacement relative to the steering column so as to provide a positional adjustment of a steering wheel in a direction along the axis of the steering column.
In still another type of a vehicular steering column assembly, the tilt-angle adjustment of the steering wheel as well as the axial adjustment of the steering wheel as noted above are combined.
All of the above-noted positional adjustments of the steering wheel can be performed manually or electrically.
However, in the tilt-angle adjustment of the steering wheel, since an angle of the steering wheel is changed relative to the driver, an angular adjustment range of the steering wheel can not be set large. Similarly, in the axial adjustment of the steering wheel, since a vertical level of the steering wheel is inevitably changed, an adjustment range along the axis of the steering column can not be set large as in the tilt-angle adjustment of the steering wheel.
Accordingly, in general, a seat position adjustment along the longitudinal axis of the vehicle should be required in addition to the tilt-angle adjustment and/or the axial adjustment of the steering wheel, which is somewhat complicated. Further, when the seat position is changed, the visual field of the driver is inevitably changed to adversely affect the driver's operation of the vehicle.